In the second round of the newly formed Group I, Italy and Puerto Rico will face each other at the FIBA World Cup.
Italy vs Puerto Rico Odds
Italy vs Puerto Rico (1/2): 1.29 / 3.64
Asian Handicap (-8.5 / +8.5): 1.91 / 1.85
Total Over/Under (170.5): 1.90 / 1.90
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
Italy Team News
In the opening part of the FIBA World Cup, Italy recorded two wins (against the Philippines and Angola) and suffered a loss against the Dominican Republic. That loss would have cost them dearly had they lost the game against Serbia, but they made up a 16-point deficit and eventually won, which completely brought them back into the game. Now, they face Puerto Rico with a huge boost of confidence.
While statistically, the leader of this team is Utah Jazz Simone Fontecchio, it’s the NBA forward who highlighted the importance Luigi Datome has in the locker room. After this FIBA World Cup, the experienced Italian will retire from professional basketball, adding an extra motivation for this team. Marco Spissu and Stefano Tonut are already proven players in crucial moments, while Achille Polonara dominates in the paint. During the FIBA World Cup, Italy has shown fluctuations in their performance, but facing Puerto Rico, where they are seen as clear favorites, they shouldn’t allow any inconsistencies.
The situation in this group, which also includes Serbia and the Dominican Republic, is crystal clear. The winners will advance to the quarterfinals, while the losers will pack their bags. Most importantly for them, Italy outplayed Serbia, putting themselves in a position where they control their own destiny. The energetic Gianmarco Pozzecco will surely find a way to secure a win against Puerto Rico, even if it means earning another ejection.
Puerto Rico Team News
Puerto Rico has gone through a real nightmare leading up to the game that decides their fate at the FIBA World Cup. First, they delivered drama in one of the most exciting games of the Mundobasket, outplaying South Sudan after overtime. They then lost to Serbia, despite showing flashes of good play, before defeating China in third round. They provided another surprise and drama against the Dominican Republic, where, as underdogs, they outplayed Karl-Anthony Towns’ crew, pulling off an upset in the second round.
Tremont Waters is the most dangerous part of this team. The Dominican Republic felt this firsthand after he scored a whopping 37 points against them, putting on one of the best performances of the tournament. Isaiah Pineiro and Stephen Thompson Junior also make significant contributions. In the paint, Ismael Romero stands tall, and in crucial moments, John Holland brings a dose of experience and calmness, as we saw against the Dominican Republic. The team’s main issue is that everything hinges on their offensive performance, which might be a problem against Italy.
As we mentioned earlier in our description of Italy, this game directly determines who advances to the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup. It’s clear that Puerto Rico has achieved its primary goal by making it to the second round, and that’s a significant success for them. Even though this team doesn’t have some of the incredible players it had in its history, one game decides everything. Sport as such tends to reward those who deserve it. The big question is, can Puerto Rico earn a stroke of luck against Italy?
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Italy vs Puerto Rico H2H
Italy and Puerto Rico have played against each other seven times in their history. The Italian national team won each time.
Absences and Injuries
Puerto Rico’s roster does not include Jose Alvarado, an NBA player who would have been of great significance. Nico Mannion is the most notable name missing for the Italians.
Italy vs Puerto Rico Prediction
A match for advancement always brings additional pressure that is not foreseen on paper, but is very visible once the game starts. Experience and quality are certainly on Italy’s side. As we’ve already determined, everything depends on Puerto Rico’s shooting performance. Although they have nothing to lose after achieving their goal, it’s clear that Puerto Rico will try to push the boundaries of their capabilities.
That is the complicating factor in this case that we are counting on, which is why we don’t expect a very high number of points in this match. The margin we’ve taken as a starting point for this bet is that the total points in the game will be under 172.5.
Tip-off Time: Sunday, 03.09.2023, 10:00 CET
Prediction: Under 172.5 points
Odds: 1.71
Sportsbook: 22Bet
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